The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-02-02
/" TOO LATE" i"
BT ASS.tBEL Is. WHITE.

not so dim that koi pm ESScn could not
see the look of fixed agony that Francia
Randolph cast upon him. Her face was
white aud drawn, her blue eyes were
distcndcd with a kind of horror, hcl
tenscly claspcd hands were held out to
him in mute appeal. But he went on, in
his cold, unsympathctc voice:
Il ha' C borne with your :calous out
bursts as long and as patiently as I can.
By your insane attack upon me to-day
you have brok"n the last link that binds
US together. take my freedom. and ]
tgi e. you yours.
''lsolph, you do not mean it! Take
back your cruel words! do not want
my freedom, and shall MT give you
yours. Only promise to forgive me, and
will never SO offend you again!"
She fell at his feet ab;cctly, she clung
to his knees with trembling hands, she
lifted her streaming eyes to the cold face
abo her. lie was not brutal man,
but there seemed something brutal in
the way he took her hands FROM his
knees and firmly laid them b. her side.
''lt is useless to appeal to me, for your
treatment of me has wcaried patience
and worn out love. We had better part
to-day than link our lives together and
SCI arate afterwards, creating q scandal.
Now it will simply be broken engage
ment, from which We will both quiskly
rec ,ver without scars"
F;ancia rose to her feet.
&C, ou think that-and of mc?"
He leaned back in his chair and ga; ed
at hcr almost insolcntly.
''fthink that Of you-and of all women.
There was never one yet who remained
faithful to one love- In year from
now we will both laugh at our present
position"
'You may, but I-never! Rolph,
cannot -caunot you give up! Say that
you can forgive me. Say that I shall be
your wife! Oh, don't you know, dear,
if were your wife I should never feel
jealous again? Cont you know I would
serve you on my knees-that would be
your slave."
She approached him once more, lean
ing upon his shoulder with one hand,
and pccring into his impassive face with
eyes whose expression he dared not read.
He shook off her touch impatiently and
rose.
Il might as well go now and end it.
shall leave the city tonight, so it will
not be worth while for yoa to try to per-
secute mc with insane letters. shall
not get them
He picked up his hat and began finger
ing it uneasily, as if to avoid her pas
sionate eyes. But she had grown sud-
denly calm. She said no word as he
moved toward the door. When he ar
rived there he stopped.
"Will you not say good-byl"
She crossed the room swiftly, and
struck iercely at his outstretched palm.
mo; I will not say good-by! Hear
me for the last time! I have loved you
long and we'll. Itmay be that this part
ing will kill me, and so I wish to tell
you that you have done i'll to withdraw
your heart from me, supposing you ever
gave it to me. You have done i'll to
permit my worship--such worship as
few women can give to fewer men.
Never again will you be loved as have
loved you never again will you have
such faith given you as l have bestowed
upon you: Never, never again"
He opened and closed the door rapidly
after his retreating form. She moved
sluggi>hly across the room, and fell like
q clod upon sofa.
"Never, never again.
She repeated the words despairiugly,
with her lids closed tightly over her hot
eyes, and her hands thrown rigidly
above her head.
''It cannot be that he is gone foreve |
1t cannot be that he means what he
says! 1t cannot he that 1 am never to
be his wife! Love, come buck to me !!
Love, forgive me-"
But vain were her imploring words !;
vain were her bcscechngs.
If only love and friendship we're not
one-sldcd things!
She rose and paced the room fever
ishly.
my God, be mcrciful. Turn his heart
back to me. I cannot bear it! l will
be 80 good and patient with him I will
do anything that he wishes, only bring
him back to me"
So she prayed, this girl who believed
in God and man, who had faith in love
and friendship.
The days passud and lcngthened into
weeks. There came no word nor sign
from Francia's fccreant lover. She had
to tell her father and mother that the en-
gagcment which had existed between her
and Rclph Essen was at an END. She
gave no explanation, and they asked for
none. Suddenly brain fever fell uron
her. and her life hung in the balance for
weeks
When health and consciousness re,
turned to her, girlhood lay behind her
She was trying to gather up her broken
hores, her dead youth and slain faith,
and we I'VE them into a comely garment
which she might wear decorously before
a critical world. All her friends now
knew that her engagement was 'otf, '
and she seemed to feel the pity, the sym.
pathy and the mockcry which were show.
cred upon hcr-behina her back
Two years went BY, and Fraucia Ran.
dolph was twcnty-threc. Her mother
had tho bad taste to give her Il bIthuighl
tcic. The bad tastc-we write advisediy
for where is the woman who likes tt
be reminded of her age, even if she still
be young2 But to Francia it mattered
little, for youth seemed to lie far behind
her, and the SHOWS Of sixty years sc .mcd
to freeze her heart.
''Francia, pray allow me to contro
your taste in selecting your dress to
night. You will never marry if you dc
not trv to throw more ambition into